Protective bib



Dec. 21, 1954 H. C. REID PROTECTIVE BIB Filed May 28, 1952 PLACE THISEDGE ALONG FOLD OF' MATERIAL.

HALF PATTERN SEW BINDING ALONG F'LEATED EDGE FROM NECK LINE T0 NECKLINE.

FINISH BY BINDING NECK LINE WITH BINDING LONG ENOUGH TO FORM TIES.

y JNVENTOR.

HELEN CAMPBELL RE/o /I TTOR'A/EYS.

United States Patent Office PROTECTIVE BIB Helen Campbell Reid, Summit,N. J.

Application May 28, 1952, Serial No. 290,400

2 Claims. (Cl. 2-49) The present invention relates to a novel protectivebib adapted to catch food and liquid that may be dropped by the wearerof said bib and thus prevent said food and liquid from falling into thelap of the individual or on the chair or oor.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set,

forth in part Vhereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or maybe learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized andattained by means of the combinations and improvements pointed out inthe appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, Y

arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel bib wherein thebody and pocket of the bib are integral so that a strong, durable bib isobtainedwhich is free of leaking or tearing or other structuralweakness.

A further object of my invention is to provide a bib which is free ofany metal fastening means or any other dangerous protruding means.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel? A further objectof my invention is to provide a novel' pattern adapted to be used incombination with a folded sheet of material in forming an outline ofmaterial, said outline of material being subsequently used'in forming anovel bib.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a parthereof illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together with thedescription, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Figure l is a side perspective view of an embodiment of my novel bib.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the bib shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the pattern used in forming the outline ofmaterial utilized in making the bib of Figure l.

The conventional bibs on the market today usually consist of a bodyportion having a separate pocket member connected thereto at its lowerend by various fastening means such as metal clips, interlocking parts,seams, binders, etc. Due to such two-part construction, these bibs veryoften come apart and leak after a relatively short period of use, due tothe loosening of the fastening means, thus necessitating purchase of anew bib or repairing the old one. Furthermore, in a bib having a Ytwo-part body and pocket construction as described above,

it is very difficult to cleanse the pocket properly due to thecumbersome construction of the bib. Hence, tiny food particlesaccumulate in the insuiciently cleansed pocket, said food particlesdeteriorating and decaying and causing unsanitary conditions, due togrowth of bacteria, mold and other infestations. This is especiallyunfortunate when such bibs are used by infants, who are more susceptibleto infections than adults.

Moreover, bibs which utilize metal fastening means such as metal clips,etc., are physically hazardous for infants, providing dangerousprojections or loose foreign objects which can be swallowed.

In order to overcome the disadvantages of presently known bibs, I haveinvented a bib which 1s relatively simple to make but which is entirelysanitary, easy to clean and safe to use. My novel bib comprises a bodymember having a neckline at its upper edge and an 1ntegral gatheredpocket member extending outwardly from said body member. The gatheredends of said pocket member are connected by a binder strip, said binderstripy having one end connected to the body member adjacent one end ofthe neckline and extending around the edge of the pocket so that itsother end is connected to said body member adjacent the other end ofsaid neckline. Preferably, the neckline of the body member isstrengthened with an overlying binder strip having extended end portionswhich form ties which are used as ties to fasten the bib about the neck.Advantageously, the sides of the pocket member extend laterally belowthe ends of the neckline which results in the formation of an extremelywide pocket which not only catches food dropping directly from the mouthof the wearer but also provides a wide safety area for catching fooddropping from anywhere above said catching area.

In forming the bib having such integral body and pocket member, I employa half pattern having a straight line edge which is connected to a rstcurved neckline edge at one end and -a second curved edge adapted to begathered at the other end, the dimension of the straight line edge beingsubstantially greater than said first curved edge or neckline edge butless than said second curved edge. Accordingly, the pattern is placed ontop of a sheet of material folded in two with the straight line edge ofthe. pattern beingplaced in the same vertical plane as the folded edgeof the material adapted to be cut to the desired outline. The materialis then cut along the curved edges of the pattern whereby on theunfolding of the cut out material the desired outline of an integralsheet of material is obtained from which the body member and gatheredpocket member can be formed.

The material is then gathered along most of the larger curved edge andthe gathered edges are then connected by a suitable binder strip whichextends from one end of the neckline or smaller curved edge to the otherend of said neckline. This binder strip may be connected to the gatherededges in any suitable manner such as by stitching, adhesive means, etc.Of course, the material may be gathered along the entire edge if sodesired, but it has been found satisfactory merely to pleat along agreater part of said edge leaving a minor portion at both endsungathered. Also, since the neckline is preferably provided with abinder strip, it is less cumbersome to leave a minor unpleated portionadjacent each end of the larger curved edge. The binder strip whichoverlies the neckline of the body member may beconnected to said bodymember in any desired fashion such as by stitching, adhesive means, etc.

Any suitable flexible sheet material may be used in making my bib as,for example, silk, plastic fabrics, etc. Preferably, the material shouldbe waterproof. Likewise, the binder strip used in connecting thegathered edges, as well as the binder strip used in strengthening theneckline and in forming the ties, is preferably cut from the unusedmaterial after the body and pocket material has been cut. By thisconstruction, the entire bib is made from the same material which notonly produces a bib which is extremely attractive in appearance but alsoprovides a conservation of material which lessens the cost. ln order todescribe the invention more specifically, reference is now made to theaccompanying drawings. As shown in Figures 1-3, my kbib consists of abody member 1 and an integral gathered pocket portion 2, the body memberand pocket member forming a continuous surface at 3. Connecting thegathered edges 4 is a binder strip 5 which begins at 6, extends aroundthe edge of the pocket and ends at 7. Overlying the neckline 8 of thebody member 1 is another binder strip 9 having extended end portions 10and 11 forming ties for suspending the bib from the neck.

Patented Dec. 21, 1954 ln Figure 4, a half pattern 12 utilized informing the necessary 'outline'ot material for matting thel blo `snownin rigures l-. is illustrated. 'the halt pattern u has a straight linevedge Mja small curved necidine edge 14 and a suostanuallylarger curvedengels, saidnecitline edge 14 curving upwardly-andoutwardly :from end i6ot' edge 13 with said .edge 15 curving outwardly` and downwardly tromthe end 1 1 of edge -14 and then `downwardly and inwardly'to meet end-18 of edge 13. As mentioned previously, the dimension of edge13 shouldbe substantially greater than the dimension of edge `14, but less thanedge 15. A preferred ratio of the dimensions of the straight line edge13 to the curved edge t4 and curved edge lu'is'in the ratio of about3.5:lz9.5.

As mentioned previously, the pattern 12 isl placed on top f the materialvadapted to'be cut',"said material being foldedl in two -with thestraig'ht'line 'edge' i3 in the same vertical plane as thefolded'edg'efofs'aid material. The material is thencut'a1ongeoges14-ahd-15 thus producing the desired otline when l'the cutout material is unfolded. The edge 'of the I' material produced bycutting along the edgelS ofthe pattern lis thenv gathered throughout amajor portion,leavingrx'iiri'orportions adjacent the ends of said edgeungather'e'dfor 'reasons' previously mentioned.` lnthis mann'erfedges4`are formed which are then connected by means ot lthe binder `strip 5by sewing said binder strip to said gathered portions. A binder strip 9is then sewedto the body member 1 soas to overlie the neckline-*S-withthe extended lportions 1G and 11 of said binder strip9`forming -tie's`as previously mentioned.

By means of the present construction, `the 4pocket 2 is of an extremelylarge widthidue to the' fact-that the side members '19 and 20 ofsaidpocket'Z entend laterally of the ends of the neckline area. Thusa largecatching area is provided by which most eicientcatching resuLs areobtained. l

There is no doubt that the present invention is a step forward in itstield. Since my 'bib' is'exible and has integral body and pocketmembers', ,thel pocket member may be readily turned inside out so thatthe pocket mav be cleansed properly,'whichprevents anyv accumulation offood particles which would decay in said pocket. Hence, my bib ismost'sanitary and this-is a very irnportant feature especially-'whereinfants and inv'alids are concerned, The bib can also be used "inreverse-form if so desired.

Furthermore, my integral:construction-eliminates the use of metal clipsor any other hazardous metal fastening means which are 'apt Vtoberemoved by an infant and put into its mouth. It is .also evidentthat amuch stronger and durable bib is produced "by my integral constructionin contrast to 'the twopart^-conventional-con structions wherein thefastening meansv very oftenloosen or come apart completely,th`us causing"the pocket to leak or tear, and necessitating purchase of a new bibvor, at least, repair'ot the old one.

Also, oy providing a nio with a catching pocket of an extremely largewidth, a greater catching area is produced which 1u turn insures greatercatching safety. 'l his is particularly advantageous in use by infantssin-e they very orten pick up rood with their hands and soon atter dropit before the food ever reaches their mouths.

lt is also evident :that Athe bib of the present invention isinexpensive to maxe due to'itssimpie construction and ease ofmanufacture.

ln view of the fact that the present bib is highly useful, mostsanitary, attractive in appearance, .simple in construction and low incost, it may be safely said that the present invention is a decidedcontribution to the art.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specificcombinations and improvements described, but departures may be madetherefrom within the scope of theaccompanying claims pwithout departingfrom tne principles .of .the..invention -and vwithout. sacrificing itschief advantages.

What l'claim is:

l. A bib comprising a unitary .sheet-,.offilexible;water-,proof'material .provided with a very shallow U-shaped edge defining a`neckline `at its .top iand 4a very .deep U-shaped .edge lying forwardlyand downwardly `from said shallow'edge for vdetiningthe top of a pocket,said deep edgeforming a juncture with vsaid shallow edge at each endthereof, tying means positioned vadjacent each of said .junctures forfastening said bib on a child, said deep .U-shaped edgebeing providedwith a plurality of gathers along the bottom of the ,U r and ,up eachleg `thereof fora substantial distance, Vthe gathers being suiiicient innumber and width .to cause .a `portion of said sheet .to` fold uponitself, the -gathers and the lfolded portion 'being substantiallyco-cxtensive, lwhereby a reversible, integral, seamless-and sanitary.pocket is formed forwardly fromthe lbottom and along ,the sides of saidbib. f

2. A .bib as defined .in .claim 1 ,which includes in .addition asubstantiallynon-,resilient strip binding said gathered edge for.preserving theshape of said pocket.

`References Citedin the leof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date D. 104,490 Anderson May 1.1, 1937 615,293 Maier Dec. 6, -18982,214,794 .LeCoq Sept. 17, 1940 2,442,293 Hudson May4 25, 1948 2,445,850Gibson July 27, 1948 2,457,725 Rhowmine Dec. 28, 1948 2,553,847 CollinsvMay 22, 1951 -.2,629,870 `Hudson .Mar. 3, i953

